The Sháh let down the curtain of the court,
And for one se'nnight gave no audience.
She caused a golden throne to be prepared,
With two seats made of lapis lazuli
And turquoise, with a crown all royal gems,
A pair of armlets, a bejewelled torque,
And an imperial robe of cloth of gold
Wherein were woven divers kinds of jewels.
Before the Sháh there sat astrologers
To search the stars to find a lucky day.
So on the Shahrívar of month Bahman,
At dawn, the Sháh gave audience to Dáráb.
She filled a cup with rubies and another
With ruddy gold, and, when Dáráb approached
The hall of audience, went afar to meet him,
Did him obeisance, showered on him those jewels
Fit for a king, and wept blood on her breast,

Embraced him, kissed him, and caressed his face,
Then brought and set him on the golden throne,
And scanned him wonderingly. When he was seated
She came, gold crown in hand, kissed him and crowned
him,
Assuring all men that the crown was his.
When he was thus illustrate with the crown
Humái began to proffer her excuses,
And said: “As touching what is past, know this
That all hath turned to wind. 'Twas brought
about
By youth, access to treasure, woman's way,
A sire deceased, a Sháh without a guide.
If still she wrongeth thee yet let it pass,
For mayst thou have no seat except the throne
Of kingship.”

He made answer to his mother:—

“Thou hast the royal temperament, and 'tis
No wonder if thy heart be moved, but why
Still harpest thou upon a single fault?
May He that made the world approve of thee,
And anguish fill the hearts of all thy foes.
This story shall be my memorial,
And ne'er grow obsolete upon the roll.”
The blest Humái did reverence, and said:—
“Thou shall endure as long as crown endureth.”
She gave command to the high priest to call
The men of learning out of every province,
And further bade that of the troops all those
Of name, the illustrious Lions wielding swords,
Should homage that famed world-lord as the Sháh.
As they called blessings down upon his crown,
And scattered jewels thereupon, Humái
Described what she had done in secrecy,
And all the anguish that her act had caused her.
“Know ye,” she added, “that of Sháh Bahman
This is the sole memorial on earth.

Ye all must walk according to his bidding,
For he is shepherd, warriors are his flock;
His are the majesty, the diadem,
And kingship: all must look to him for succour.”
Then from the palace rose a shout for gladness
Because they saw a glorious Branch sprout forth;
The Sháh himself was hidden under jewels,
The world was filled with justice and with joy,
And no one recked of sorrow and of care.
Then was it that Humái addressed the chiefs,
And said: “Ye noble and accomplished sages!
I give my son the treasure and the throne—
To me a toil of two and thirty years.
Rejoice ye then, submit to his commands,
And breathe but at his bidding.”

When Dáráb

Joyed in the crown of majesty, and donned
The diadem in peace, the launderer
Came with his wife apace. They said to him:—
“Blest be thy sitting on the Kaian throne,
O monarch of the world! and be the hearts
Of all thy foes plucked out.”

Dáráb bade bring

Ten purses filled with gold, a goblet rich
With gems, five bales of raiment of all kinds,
And gave them to the folk that had so toiled
For him. “O busy launderer!” he said,
“Be still engrossed in business. It may be
Thou yet mayst light upon another ark,
And on another infant like Dáráb!”
They went away invoking with their lips
God's blessing on the monarch of Írán.
Then set the launderer's star; he sought again
His shop and carried lye upon the plain.